A review by taysol
The Swans of Fifth Avenue by Melanie Benjamin

dark emotional funny reflective sad fast-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? No
  • Loveable characters? It's complicated
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

A month ago had you asked me what I knew about Truman Capote, I would’ve been able to name 2 of his works and might have added “isn’t he the one who was friends with Harper Lee?” Now thanks to FX’s “Feud,” I’m all in. Both this novel and “Feud” are dramatizations of the same story, but it’s interesting to see how they write it in different ways. I really like the way the book focused on his relationship with Babe Paley and why, given the social climate of the era, they might have been so drawn to him each other. Perhaps the most intimate relationship either of them had. I’m still somewhat new to the world of The Swans, but the book does seem to be well researched and the inclusion of an author’s note shows this is a story she has a lot of personal interest in and is helpful to separate what more likely occurred and what she embellished.